AZ visit the club that seized the Ararat name without mercy

AZ face FC Noah in the Europa League, but the article profiles Ararat-Armenia, a rival Armenian club founded in 2017 by a billionaire owner, now a major force in domestic football.

AZ are preparing to face FC Noah in European competition, but this article examines Ararat-Armenia, another ambitious Armenian club founded in 2017 by wealthy businessman Vardges Vardanyan. Like Noah, Ararat-Armenia rapidly climbed to the top of Armenian football by recruiting players from across Europe. Both clubs have won ten major trophies combined in less than a decade. However, the article notes that Ararat-Armenia's roots are more deeply tied to Russian football, distinguishing it from Noah's Western-focused model.